I have been on 8 carnival cruises and will be going on my first Royal Caribbean cruise in April. I have been very happy with Carnival, the food options are great and other than having to pay for the steak house which is always well worth the extra money every thing else is included.

I will be on the Explorer OTS what is included and what will be extra in the way of food?

The explorer doesn't have as many food choices as some f the larger ships.
MDR for breakfast and lunch on sea day,and every evening.
Windjammer is the buffet open breakfast lunch and dinner with extended hours most of the day
And the Cafe promenade is open 24 hours for pizza and sandwiches and donuts. Choices vary by time of day...pizza available late, but not all day like on Carnival.
Room service is available 24 hours but there's a fee after a certain time....possible midnight til 5 am.
I'll be on her the week of April 10 th...when are you sailing?
Expect to see lots of kids as April is prime vacation time.
This will be my 6th cruise on EOS, so if you have any questions about the ship or the port, ask away

RCI does charge a $3.95 service fee for room service orders between midnight and 5am. You can order as much as you want though. The fee includes a gratuity for the delivery person so you don't need to add extra.

The explorer has a Johnny Rockets that has a $3.95 cover charge. Portofino's is a must do dining experience. It's $25 per person and well worth it. I'll be on the Explorer for 20 nights in December and just was on her for 21 nights in September. I'm looking forward to boarding her again. Don't miss the ice show, it's free and it's the best show on the ship. By any chance are you booked in a suite?

I predict the Quantum Of The Seas will be Sonny's new 'favorite' ship when it replaces Explorer at Port Liberty next fall.

You're probably right, Dave. I won't be booking the Quantum until prices drop. I have a good chance of being invited to a cruise to nowhere now that I'm at the Pinnacle level, at least that's what I've been told. I'll be cutting back on cruising from now on, we inherited a very large bill that will kill our cruising style.